


these bones never rested while living

by stratusdreams



Category: Blood - Fandom, One Unit Whole Blood
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Other, Self Ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25044562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stratusdreams/pseuds/stratusdreams
Summary: Caleb returns to his girlfriend after a long night of hunting cultists.
Relationships: Caleb/Self Insert
Kudos: 3





	these bones never rested while living

**Author's Note:**

> this is shameless fluff and I'm not sorry.

“And I’ll hang around… as long as you will let me…”

Caleb sung softly to himself as he approached the door to Millie’s apartment complex. He could see that they were still awake; at least, the TV was on, judging by the light coming from their window. They were probably watching some soap opera, he thought. Millie was fond of soap operas because they were bad and provided nostalgia; their grandmother had watched several soap operas religiously up until her death. Caleb often sat with Millie in a comfortable silence while _Days of Our Lives_ played on the television and his girlfriend tapped away at their keyboard, attempting to give the thoughts in their head a home on a Word document.

Millie was the first person Caleb had been able to sit in silence with and not feel awkward about it. They could be chatty, but more often than not, they were timid and preferred listening to Caleb. He told them stories of his youth and travels across the world. Millie listened without judgment, and often asked questions about the culture of the time. Caleb was shocked by how much he liked talking about himself like that. Maybe it was because Millie was such a good listener.

“And I never… minded standin’ in the rain…” He managed to slip inside the building without alerting Miss Hayworth, the landlord. Caleb took the elevator up. It was a rickety old thing – Millie liked to complain about it whenever they and Caleb rode it together. Caleb liked listening to them ramble.

He unlocked the door and set his pistols down by the door as soon as he had closed it. Millie didn’t like it when he brought work into the apartment. Normally, Caleb didn’t care what people thought, but he _did_ care what Millie thought. It surprised him, how good it felt to care about what Millie thought.

“Evenin’, darlin’,” he said as he took off his hat and hung it on a hook.

  
They turned to him with a gentle smile. “Hey. How did it go?”

Hunting, they meant. Hunting cultists. “Killed a few of ‘em. Bastards.” Caleb wiped his face with his hand after putting his jacket up. “Gonna shower. Join me, baby?”

They nodded, hopping up and following him to the bathroom. The two hopped in the shower, and Millie wrapped their arms around him. They rested their head on his chest. His heart didn’t beat anymore, but he knew they found the gesture comforting. He stroked their hair, and they practically purred in delight.

Millie pulled away and began to wash Caleb’s hair and body for him. The first time they’d done it for him, he was shocked, and asked why they’d bothered. “I know I’m not strong and I can’t fight,” they had explained. “I guess... I want to make you feel safe in my own way.”

Safe.

As Millie ran their fingers through his long dark hair, Caleb felt safe.

Now, it was Millie’s turn. Caleb kissed the spot where their shoulder and neck met as he lathered them in soap. “You’re lovely, babygirl,” he murmured.

“Mmm.”

“I mean it, darlin’.” His fingers tangled in their hair as he washed the shampoo from their brunette bob. Caleb wrapped his arms around their waist as they turn to him. It felt nice to be soft with someone again. 

They got out of the shower and dried each other off. Millie ruffled Caleb’s hair and cupped his face in the towel, squishing his face. The gunslinger couldn’t suppress a chuckle when Millie pressed soft kisses all over his face. “I love you, Caleb.” Their voice was like ringing bells. “Mwah!”

Caleb was always careful when he touched Millie. He’s well aware of his strength, and the last thing he would want is to hurt them. They insisted that they weren’t made of glass, and that he didn’t need to worry, but he worried anyway. “Let me be worried about you, baby. I haven’t felt concern for anyone in years, an’ it’s refreshin’.”

“Sleep in my bed tonight,” Millie said as Caleb brushed their hair. “I need to be held.”

“Did somethin’ happen?”

“No. I just… Lots of thoughts in my head today. Sorry – I know that’s vague.” Their laugh is tinged with rue. “I just need your touch. If that’s okay.”  
  


“Y’know I don’t sleep, baby,” Caleb murmurs, setting the brush down and making eye contact with them in the mirror. He had had this conversation with Millie before. It played out the same way each time; not that he minded, of course. He thought it was cute.

“You don’t have to sleep. I just wanna be cuddled.”

“You make a convincin’ argument.” He kissed the back of their neck, then extended his hand to them. Millie gladly took it and hopped up to follow him to their bed.

They flopped into the bed and gestured for Caleb to join them under the covers. He rolled his eyes playfully and climbed into bed; Millie immediately curled up beside him, their head on his chest. Caleb twirled a strand of their hair around his finger as they nodded off. “Love you, Caleb,” they mumbled sleepily.

“Love you too, baby. Get some sleep.”


End file.
